The Catholic Calendar for Monday, October 30, 2006
Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ephesians 4:32–5:8
Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
Luke 13:10-17

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Today's readings are about transformation—abandoning of our old crippling ways of darkness and joyfully accepting a new life in the light of Christ.

There comes a time in every Christian's life when certain old traits need to be left behind and new ones embraced. Sometimes, this can be easy and simple. But oftentimes, the change that God requires from us is extremely difficult for us to accept—not necessarily because we are struggling to rebel against the Lord's will in our lives, but because the way of living is so much a part of our lives. In those circumstances, there may well come a time when God must break certain areas of our lives in order that we are transformed into much more of the likeness of Jesus Christ.

It is important for us to realise that God does not break us down in order to destroy, but breaks part of our way of life in order that we may be built up in Christ. The promise of the beautiful perfume contained within is only released when the flask is broken. So, too, the principle is that, until areas of our lives are broken by God, the fragrance of Christ will not be able to be fully appreciated by those around us.

- Anne